The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

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Gono laughed off Made’s crop forecasts

Central Bank governor Gideon Gono who former United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Joseph Sullivan said “betrayed a keen sense of self-importance”, laughed out loud at the latest maize forecasts by Agriculture Minister Joseph made.

Made had predicted that Zimbabwe would harvest 2.4 million tonnes of maize in 2004. Gono exclaimed: “No way” and claimed that Made was insisting on such a high figure for President Robert Mugabe to trumpet the success of land reform.

Gono said he was also going to grant a blanket amnesty for externalisation.

Several businessmen, including former Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front legislator James Makamba and former Finance Minister Chris Kuruneri, had been arrested allegedly for externalising foreign currency.

According to a cable released by Wikileaks, Gono claimed that he was unable to do anything about James Makamba who had been in detention since 9 February because he believed Makamba was being held for personal reasons.

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.